fs.thethirdbookofswords-第26部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Mark　had　great　difficulty　in　trying　to　talk。　It　crossed　his　mind　that　he　was　probably　dying。　He　could　only　gesture　toward　the　Sword。
　She　said；　puzzled；　〃You　killed　him　with。。？　But　no；　you　can't　mean　that。〃
　〃No。　No。〃　He　had　to　rest　a　little；　to　gather　his　strength　before　he　spoke　again。　Even　so　the　words　wouldn't　e　out　clearly。　〃。。。　was　never　here。〃
　The　young　woman　stared　at　him。　Her　face　was　still　haggard　and　worn　and　filthy；　but　inner　energies　were　making　a　powerful　effort　to　revive　it。　Now；　as　if　struck　by　a　sudden　idea；　she　turned　away　to　where　the　Sword　lay；　and　crouched　looking　at　it　carefully。　Then　she　extended　one　hand；　with　the　practiced　gesture　of　a　sorceress；　to　touch　the　hilt。
　She　froze　there　in　that　position；　one　finger　touching　black。
　The　grimy　girl　was　gone；　and　in　her　place　Mark　saw　his　mother；　Mala；　aged　a　decade　since　he　had　seen　her　last；　her　dark　lustrous　hair　now　broadly　streaked　with　gray。　It　was　Mala　who　knelt　near　the　little　campfire　holding　one　finger　against　Sightblinder's　hilt；　wearing　not　Mark's　hunting　shirt　but　her　own　peasant's　trousers　and　a　patterned　blouse　that　her　son　could　still　recognize。
　Then　the　figure　of　Mark's　mother　blurred　and　shifted；　became　that　of　his　sister　Marian。　Marian　was　a　woman　of　nearly　thirty　now；　also　altered　by　the　years　that　had　passed　since　Mark　had　seen　her　last；　on　the　day　that　he　fled　their　village。
　Marian　turned　her　face　to　look　directly　at　him；　and　now　in　her　place　Mark　beheld　a　plump　girl　of　the　Red　Temple；　a　girl　he　had　encountered　once；　casually　embraced；　and　then；　somehow；　never　afterward　forgotten。　The　Red　Temple　girl　turned　her　body　more　fully　toward　Mark；　letting　go　the　Sword。
　It　was　the　young　woman　he　had　rescued　from　Vilkata's　camp；　her　hair　matted；　her　lean　body　clad　in　his　dirty；　tattered　hunting　shirt；　who　approached　Mark　and　bent　over　him　again。　Above　her　head；　above　the　firelight；　massed　clouds　of　stars　made　a　great　arc。
　She　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃I　should　have　realized　which　Sword　that　was。　Though　I　have　never　seen　one　of　them　before。。。　but　now　I　am　fully　awake；　I　hope。　I　begin　to　understand。　My　name　is　Kristin。　Who　are　you？〃
　〃Mark。〃
　〃Well；　Mark。〃　She　touched　his　wounded　head；　so　gently　that　it　barely　added　to　the　pain。　When　he　winced　she　quickly　withdrew　her　hand　again。　〃Was　it　you　who　came　into　…　that　place　…　with　Sightblinder；　and　got　me　out？〃
　He　managed　a　nod。
　〃And　did　you　e　alone？　Yes；　you　nod　again。　Why？　But　never　mind　that　now。　I　will　never　forget　what　you　have　done　for　me。　You　saved　my　life；　and　more。。。　have　we　any　water？〃
　Then　she　was　quick　to　answer　her　own　question；　looking　and　finding　Mark's　water　bottle。　She　gave　him　a　drink；　first；　then　took　a　mouthful　for　herself。　〃Ah；〃　she　said；　and　relaxed。
　But　only　for　a　moment。　〃Are　you　expecting　to　meet　help；　here；　anywhere　nearby？。。。　No。〃　Again　she　stretched　forth　a　gentle　hand；　that　this　time　touched　him　painlessly　and　soothed　his　face。　〃Whom　do　you　serve？〃
　〃Sir　Andrew。〃
　〃Ah。　A　good　man；　from　all　I've　ever　heard　about　him。　We　in　Tasavalta　honor　him；　though　we　don't　know。。。　but　never　mind。　I　must　try　to　do　something　for　that　cut　on　your　forehead。〃
　Kristin　closed　her　eyes；　and　muttered　spells；　and　Mark　could　feel　a　shivery　tugging　at　the　wound；　a　quasimaterial　endeavor　to　pull　out　the　knife　of　pain。　But　then　the　knife　came　back；　twisting　more　fiercely　than　before；　and　he　cried　out。
　〃At　least　the　bleeding　has　stopped；〃　Kristin　muttered；　with　heartlessly　reassuring　calm。　〃But　there's　more　wrong。　I　can　do　little　for　you　here。〃　She　glanced　up　for　a　moment　at　the　stars；　evidently　trying　to　judge　her　position　or　the　time　or　both。　〃Have　we　any　food？〃　No。
　She　began　to　move　around；　looking　for　something。　She　was　inspecting　some　of　the　nearby　plants　when　Mark　lost　consciousness　again。
　When　he　awoke　again　it　was　still　night。　He　was　shivering　violently；　though　he　alone　was　now　wrapped　twice　round　in　the　cloak　of　black　and　gold。　His　head　was　supported　gently　in　the　warmth　of　Kristin's　lap；　and　her　warm　magical　fingers　were　trying　to　soothe　his　head。
　But　he　hardly　noticed　any　of　that。　Something　that　seemed　more　momentous　was　happening　also。　The　tall　circle　of　the　gods　had　formed　around　them　both。　Once　before；　when　he　was　a　boy　in　danger　of　freezing　to　death　in　the　high　Ludus　Mountains；　he　had　seen　the　gods；　or　dreamt　them；　surrounding　him　in　such　a　way。　He　tried　now　to　call　Kristin's　attention　to　the　ring　of　observing　deities；　but　she　was　busy　with　her　own　efforts；　her　own　spells。　She　raised　her　head　once　to　look；　and　murmured　some　agreement；　and　then　went　back　to　trying　to　soothe　and　heal　him。
　He　could　tell　she　was　not　really　aware　of　the　surrounding　presences。　But　he　knew　that　they　were　there。　And；　just　as　on　that　other　night　when　he　had　seen　them　in　a　ring　about　his　lonely　fire；　they　were　arguing　about　him。　Tonight　what　they　were　saying　was　even　less　clear　than　it　had　been　then；　nor　were　the　faces　of　the　gods　as　clearly　visible　tonight。
　Eventually　the　vision　passed。
　Kristin's　voice　had　a　different　tone　now；　murmuring　real　words；　not　incantations。　It　sounded　as　if　she　were　angry　with　him。　〃I　am　not　going　to　let　you　die；　do　you　hear　me？　I　will　not　let　you　die。〃　She　raised　her　head。　〃This　much　I　can　do　against　you；　Dark　One；　for　what　you　did　to　me。　Damn　you；　I　will　not　let　you　have　this　man！〃
　And　back　to　Mark：　〃You　saved　my　life。。。　saved　more　than　that。。。　and　I　am　not　going　to　surrender　yours　to　them。　Poisoned　wound　or　not；　you'll　live。　I　promise　you。〃
　The　night　passed　for　him　in　periods　of　unconsciousness；　in　visions　and　intervals　of　lucidity；　in　a　struggle　to　breathe　that　at　last　he　seemed　to　have　won。
　In　the　morning　they　moved　on。　There　was　no　water　where　they　had　spent　the　night；　and　they　were　still　unfortably　close　to　Vilkata's　army。　Now　it　was　Mark　who　needed　help　to　get　aboard　his　riding　beast；　and　Kristin　who　led　his　animal　as　they　traveled；　and　she　who　chose　the　route；　and　sometimes　kept　him　from　falling　out　of　the　saddle　in　his　weakness。　He　endured　the　day。　He　chewed　on　roots　and　berries　when　she　put　them　into　his　mouth。　Again　he　experienced　difficulty　in　breathing。　But　he　stayed　alive；　supported　by　his　own　grim　will　and　Kristin's　magic。
　Another　night　passed；　much　like　the　one　before；　and　another　day　of　traveling　much　like　the　last。　After　that　day　Mark　lost　count。　His　whole　life　had　vanished　into　this　hideous　trek；　it　seemed；　and　often　now　he　no　longer　cared　whether　he　lived　or　not。
　At　night；　every　night；　his　fever　rose；　and　sometimes　the　gods　regathered　round　Kristin's　magical　little　fire　to　taunt　him　and　to　argue　among　themselves。　Each　dawn　Mark　awoke　to　see　them　gone；　and　Kristin　slumped　beside　him　in　an　exhausted　sleep。
　A　night　came　when　his　chills　were　more　violent　than　ever。　Kristin　bundled　herself　with　him　inside　the　cloak。　She　slept；　he　thought；　while　the　usual　parade　of　deities　walked　through　his　fevered　mind。　He　awoke　again　at　dawn；　his　mind　feeling　clearer；　and　told　himself　he　had　survived　another　night。
　And　then　he　got　a　sharp　shock；　jolting　his　mind　into　greater　clarity。　This　morning　not　all　the　deities　were　gone。　A　woman；　statuesque；　magnificent；　as　real　as　any　woman　he　had　ever　seen；　stood　across　the　ashes　of　the　fire；　holding　in　her　strong　right　arm　a　Sword。
　The　goddess　was　looking　down　at　Kristin；　who　was　asleep　sitting　beside　Mark；　the　hunting　shirt　half　open　at　her　breast。
　〃I　am　Aphrodite；〃　the　goddess　said　to　Mark。　〃I　was　called；　I　had　to　e　to　you；　and　now　I　see　I　must　do　something。　How　sweet；　the　mortal　child；　to　give　you　everything。　She　is　restoring　your　life　to　you；　and　giving　you　her　entire　life　as　well　in　the　process；　and　I　hope　you　appreciate　it。　But　men　never　do；　I　suppose。〃
　Mark　said；　〃I　understand。〃
　〃Do　you？　No；　you　don't。　You　really　don't。　But　perhaps　one　day　you　will。〃
　And　the　goddess　approached　the　two　of　them　with　long　unhurried　steps；　meanwhile　raising　the　Sword　in　her　right　hand。　Mark；　alarmed；　sat　bolt　upright。　Before　he　could　do　more；　the　Sword　in　Aphrodite's　hand　was　thrusting　straight　for　Kristin's　sleeping　back。
　The　Sword　in　its　swift　passage　made　a　sound　like　a　gasp　of　human　breath。　Mark　saw　the　wide；　bright　steel　vanish　into　Kristin's　back　and　emerge　quite